Aksai Chin (China)

Aksai Chin (Urdu: اکسای چن, Chinese: 阿克赛钦, Ākèsàiqīn) is a region which lies at the juncture of China and India. It consists of about one fifth of Kashmir.

It is ruled by China but claimed by the Republic of India. Aksai Chin is one of the two main border disputes between India and China, the other being the dispute over South Tibet. Aksai Chin (the name literally means "Chin's desert of white stones") is a very large high-altitude desert of salt that reaches heights up to 5,000 metres. It covers an area of 42,685 km² (16,481 sq mi) of the disputed territory. Geographically part of the Tibetan Plateau, Aksai Chin is often called the Soda Plain. The region is almost uninhabited, has no permanent settlements, and receives little rain or snow as the Himalayan and other mountains block the rains from the Indian monsoon. Pakistan recognizes it as part of China, however India has objected to this and claims all the territory.

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